It’s a Funny Old Game!

You’re reading this and I’m into my second day of the 36 hour Radiothon. If you’ve donated so far, thank you. If you haven’t yet please help us get to our target of 100,000€ raised over the last 5 years. Thank you!

What a week of football, never let anybody tell you it’s just a game!

Great drama at Real Mallorca last Sunday. Drawing 1-1 after 2 goals that were both offside, it looked like Mallorca we’re heading for a disappointing draw. Fair play to the Manager who put on all 3 attacking players from the bench to try and get a winner. In the 94th minute a hopeful ball into the area was controlled by Alex De Groot who shot it perfectly across the keeper to slot a winner into the corner. Cue mad celebrations on the pitch and on the terraces. With no time to even kick-off those celebrations continued after the final whistle. “Si se Puede” (yes we can) sang the 11,302 spectators. Mallorca now lie in 4th place just 4 points off the second automatic promotion place with 5 games to go. It could all rest on Mallorca’s final home game and the penultimate game of the season against the team currently in second place Granada on June 2nd. They are away this weekend at Gimnastic who will be relegated if they lose.

A little bit of pressure on Atlético Baleares this weekend as they face 7th placed Lleida Esportiu. After a 0-0 draw in Badalona last week they still need a win to ensure they finish champions. Lleida need a win to get into the play-offs as they’re assured of 3 points in their last game as their opponents Ontinyent have folded. Failure to win means that Baleares will have to travel to second placed Hercules in the last game in a winner takes all tie. It’s great for the island that both our professional teams are doing so well in their respective leagues and long may it continue.

No games for my boys last weekend. Jake my eldest has finished his season and Jude my youngest had his game cancelled until Thursday which they managed to win 3-0.We had our end of season meetings with the club this week and I’m delighted to say both boys have been asked back next season.

Following on from the weekend, the drama continued with Vincent Kompany’s worldy shot from 30 yards which screamed into the Leicester City net to put Manchester City back on top of Liverpool in the Premier League. The Scousers would have woken up pretty down on Tuesday morning with City now above them and the seemingly impossible task of scoring 4 goals against Barcelona. I for one had written them off. The combined atmosphere at Anfield, the brilliance of the Liverpool team and the totally inept display from Barcelona meant their dreams came true. Could it happen again the following night for the other team from North London against Ajax? Well as an Arsenal fan I certainly didn’t want them to win. But as the great Jimmy Greaves once said “Its a funny old game” and how they woke themselves from losing 2-0 at half-time to win 3-0 with the last kick of the game was truly remarkable. The final is being held in Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium. I was lucky enough to go there last year for Arsenals semi final against Athletico Madrid. It will be an unbelievable atmosphere in a stadium I would count as one of the best I’ve ever been to.

I’ve not had much luck so far trying to get some early nights before the Radiothon and that continued into Thursday where I was hiding behind the sofa watching my team Arsenal eventually destroy Valencia 7-3 on aggregate but not without a few scares. Even at 6-3 and 75 minutes gone I still thought we could lose it. Swiftly turned over to see who we’d be playing in the final and that went to a dramatic penalty shootout with Chelsea finally coming out on top. Anyone know the way to Baku?

For the first time in European Club Football history all 4 finalists are from the same country and that country is England!

Football loving singer Elton John is currently on his Farewell Yellow Brick Road World Tour. The 72 year old is giving up touring to spend more time with his family but he has an ingenious way of keeping up with the football results including his beloved Watford. The superstar requested that his infamous million-pound Yamaha piano had a secret screen installed not in case he forgets his words but so he keeps up to date with the football scores.

Invisible to the audience, the device is often used to live stream football scores while the Candle In The Wind singer performs his two and a half hour show. I wonder what he’ll be like next weekend when the glory hornet boys take on Manchester City in the FA Cup Final?

Not the most conventional top 10 but traditional religious choices have dropped out of the top 10 at funeral services for the first time in a list compiled by Co-op from the 100,000 funerals it does each year. Old favourites such as The Lord’s My Shepherd and Jerusalem have given way to modern hits as more people would rather see others celebrate their lives.

Top 10 Funeral Tunes

1. My Way – Frank Sinatra

2. Time to say goodbye – Andrea Bocelli

3. Over the rainbow – Eva Cassidy

4. Wind beneath my wings – Bette Midler

5. Angels – Robbie Williams

6. Supermarket flowers – Ed Sheeran

7. Unforgettable – Nat King Cole

8. You raise me up – Westlife

9. We’ll meet again – Vera Lynn

10. Always look on the bright side of life – Monty Python

A final reminder about the Radiothon, please help us if you can.

Enjoy your weekend!

Richie presents the Radio One Mallorca Breakfast show Monday to Friday07.30-11.00am on 93.8fm in Mallorca and 102fm in Calvià, online at www.radioonemallorca.comon mobile through their free App for IPhone & Android, The Tunein Radio App, iTunes, the Spanish TDT TV service and all smart speakers. . If you can’t hear him on the radio then you’ll find him working at Pirates Adventure the islands number one night out and every now and again he may make an understudy appearance!

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Published by somethingforyourmallorcaweekend

I've lived and worked in Mallorca since 1990. I've worked at Pirates Adventure since 1994 and set up Radio One Mallorca in 2009. This blog will give you my news, views and my life on our island in the sun.
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